Hi, Have had my White Ulysse (1996) 1.9TD for a couple of years now. Has flown through 2 mots and been all round the uk. Love it. The problem is, a couple of days ago it didn't want to start at all.
First thought was air in fuel and glow plugs.
Glow plugs changed (beru) and checked.
Fuel lines changed from primer bulb (incl) to filter and then to pump. Leak off lines changed also.

Still can't start the car. Run the battery flat 3 times bleeding air. The problem seems to be no fuel getting to injectors. Fuel get's to pump but nothing from it. Checked electrics, solenoid on at bottom of pump and works.

Could it be the immobilizer? I disconnected it a year ago using the system found on this forum, start engine, disconnect pad. It's been fine since then as I didn't need to use it. I am now beginning to think it may have reset itself after having the battery disconnected for 2 days.

Could it be the pump itself?
Is there anything else I can try?

Please help!!! Love this car, It's only done 115K and I don't want to get rid of it.

Anyone know of a manual?

Just updating as apparently it's quite a common problem and may be of use to someone else in future.

Ok, Over the weekend I'm going to drill the safety bolts off the back "armour" plate (on the back of the fuel pump) to get to the so called smart solenoid - the one the immobilizer is connected to. I'll try without taking the pump out and see how it goes. I've heard that the solenoid can stick. I know it's not the immobilizer because I've tested the power to the solenoid with ignition on and it's good.
If I can get it out, I'll stick a normal bolt in to see if the car starts. (Problem will be turning it off, but then there is the shut off on the pump.)

Weather permitting of course.
Ah, the joys of owning a "Fix It Again Tomorrow"

Last update: Success!

Managed to drill out bolts and take armour plating out. Checked the solenoid but that was ok. Took immobilizer off the solenoid and tried starting with a live electric feed direct from the battery and she coughed twice and started in 4 seconds flat.

So, I disconnected the immobilizer and binned it. From the 4 wires connected to the imob, I found the ignition 12v feed and connected it directly to the solenoid. Left the armour off (easier to work on in the future)
The keypad end of the imob was disconnected a year ago - just goes to show that the second half also plays it's role and check this before changing the whole expensive fuel pump. They are mechanical and don't usually go wrong, but garages love the labour costs involved.

Sorry for not updating before now, I was quite busy. The old girl is fine now (touch wood) and I've been running her on vegetable oil over the summer - no modifications whatsoever! Loves it.

If anyone ever needs to know just how to take the armour out with the pump still in (not easy and takes hours but can be done) let me know. Cost of my repair = 0.
Ok, I bought a few fuel lines etc but they were not the problem.

hi mate, i`m new on here, i bought a 96 ully 1.9td last week and notice the wiring had been chopped around a bit under the bonnet (crudelly), anyway, i went to start it on saturday to no avail, check fuel in line, put fuel in, tow round block, then my mate touched the wire which came apart that comes off the immobiliser solenoid which is quite hidden on the pump, and he noticed, being a french car affectionado that the armour plating was missing from rear of pump, so someone had disconnected immobiliser, and very badly wired the that solenoid straight to a free 12v switch feed under the bonnet so checked for feeds repaired wire and hey presto started straight away to my great relief after 2 hrs of getting annoyed, all i have to do now is change cambelt, rear engine mounting, get rev counter to work, and stop tiny water leak from front of engine somewhere,,lol,,i love having to fix new cars,,,not

Hi, I'm pretty new on here too as well, but had the Uly some time now. Mine's a 96 too.
Come on guys, show your pride and joy in your avatars!

Glad you found the prob, It's nearly all related to electrics on these FIATS! I tell you that you are lucky you have armour removed. Easy access in future.
It's sad but for this one reason alone, Imob problems, most Uly's get scrapped coz someone somewhere incorrectly diagnoses a pump problem and it automatically becomes an uneconomical repair (into 1000's) when in reality all it takes is a couple of hours of work.
As to repairs, well I've said it before and I'll say it again -
The Joys of owning a Fix It Again Tomorrow (FIAT)

In fact, for anyone out there who is considering changing the pump, get one for the old Pug405! It's the same thing without the imob!
And...
I run my 1.9TD (the best engine of the bunch) on straight vegetable oil! (no modifications to the car) that stuff for cooking. Been doing it over the summer as the oil doesn't thicken too much, but now will mix 50/50 with diesel over the colder winter period - MOT emissions are better too I found out to my surprise! And cost in Bookers or Macros, well.....
Ok, change the fuel filter more often but hey? I will try filtering Chip shop oil (my local fish and chips offered me 25p a litre!)
I must stress though, ONLY the 1.9TD with the bosch pump can do this.

well i`v done rear lower engine mount (much improvement but still needs top one me thinks), sorted water leak, sorted fuel leak, still need to sort blower temp prob, anyway my mate said they run ok on veg oil, i used to run my old estima on it neat in the summer, but not in the winter as it waxes to much in the cold, but as soon as i acquire some, it`l be getting filtered, mixed 80/20 n wacked in, sorted, oh and theres still a vibration to sort from front somewhere when i drive it and engine hits about 2000rpm,,,thats a strange one, but thats for another day

Hi,I have a scudo with the 1.9TD engine I think it is the same as yours,I have the same problem intermitant starting change all the relays etc I am about ready to scrap the thing (I have a 40 year old Bedford starts on the button every time).

Before I scrap it I thought I would try your way you say you used a system a year ago start engine could let me know where you found it I would be greatfull,Regards Paul.

The system I used was for the imob. keypad found on the dash to the lower right of the steering wheel. Basically, all it involved was starting the engine (by keying in your 4 digit pin) and disconnecting the keypad from the wiring block behind it. I stress that this MUST be done with the engine running! Once you have disconnected it, you can switch the engine on and off bypassing the keypad - the good old fashioned way of inserting the key and starting. If you do this with the engine off, you will not be able to start the van! With age, wiring gets dodgy and a small break could mean you can sometimes start and other times it will be a problem. That's why I disconnected mine.
I was able to drive around worry free for a year until I started having problems with the imob. part in the engine bay. That part can also lead to iffy starting on and off before conking out completely.
One last thing, check all your earth connections, starter motor etc....
Good luck.

hi jabbathehut i got a cd manual off ebay cost about £6-£7 got everything in it hope this helps regards normay

coud this be similar problem on a 04 ulysse? mines not still not starting after 5 months of hell and testing....

I have a 2000/X jtds 2.0L that is exibiting same symptoms. Had RAC out twice now to hit tank with hammer and blast it with a drop of easy start. 3rd time unlucky and had to be towed back today. He suspects the lift pump in the tank so, does this model have the cut off solenoid as well?

To add insult to injury i can now hear the pump running when i turn key, which it wasnt doing when it died. Is it more likely to be electrical than mechanical and if the latter are there any other options like the pump from the Pug 405?

Would draining the tank and cleaning the whole assy be of help

Cheers Guys

Pulled it out today and dissasembled the float/pump. The pump is shafted, so been looking for alternatives. Would any pump from the HDi pug/citroen 2.0 be usable, they all appear very similar and i was wondering if i could pull the pump out of one and stick it in my housing? Even seen the same bosch pump supplied to VW/Audi on some sites.

Balloonguys, Sorry for not answering earlier. Is it the newer model? I personally wouldn't touch the newer model as they are known for electrical faults of all sorts. That's why they discontinued production. Most probably electrical. Good luck with it. Mine is still running (touch wood) without one single problem from last year!

Hi guys, its been a while since i have been on here as my semi faithful ully has not been a bother, went staright through a test couple of months back with an advisory for rubber boot around lower ball joint, which are becoming part of the test next year, anyway, i was only praising Keith (Lemon)(what my car is affectionately known as from when i got it last year with a million problems) the other day when i took the kids out for the day and the throttle cable decided to snap,,,oh dear,,,AA fitted universal one and away we go, apart from that its been no bother, starts everyday, hardly uses any fuel for the size of the car and the fact its got 151000 miles on the clock, there are still a couple of niggles to sort, like the boot wont unlock when locked, the central locking is totally devoid of any operational ability, had doors stripped,,,but no joy,,,,anyway,,such is life.....as for the wiring on the immobiliser, i`ve never had another problem since i wired it a little more robustly,,,oh and the vibration was the fuel pump mounting plate that had cracked in half at the face plate, so 2nd hand one was souced from scrappy, fuel pump taken off, bracket fitted, full cambelt kit, put it all back together expecting it to be a complete **** to start and it started after 4 cranks,,,,brilliant